Beautiful
by She's a Star
Summary: While Harry and Ron are "girl-watching" in the library, Hermione begins to feel insecure about her own appearance...


Fifteen year old Hermione Granger sighed in frustration. She, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter had come to the library to work on their History of Magic essays on The Goblin Rebellion of 1435. However, homework appeared to be the last thing on her best friends' minds-they were both currently taking place in their new favorite activity-girl watching. Hermione groaned as Ron let out a low wolf whistle when Cho Chang and a new Ravenclaw fifth year, Andrea Spier, walked into the library.  
Harry had been taken with Cho for a long time, but Andrea was at least the fourth girl Ron had fancied since the school year had started three months ago.  
"She is easily the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," Ron said in an awed tone, which he spoke in any time he was around a beautiful girl.  
Andrea certainly was beautiful-breathtakingly so. She had long, wavy blonde hair that fell to her waist and warm, sky-blue eyes. Her five foot six inch figure was perfectly slender, with curves in all the right places, and she walked with elegance and poise. Even her robes were perfect-a pale blue the same shade as her eyes with silver trim.  
Hermione stared at her own plain black robes.  
I wish I were that beautiful.  
The thought raced through Hermione's brain before she could register what she was thinking about. She wrinkled her nose in self-disgust.   
No you don't! the logical part of her brain argued, Beauty can't get you anywhere or anything in life.  
What you want, the disobedient part of her brain said, Is for Ron to look at you like that.  
"No!" Hermione said the word out loud, attracting puzzled glances from Ron and Harry.  
"All right, then," Ron said with a smirk.  
"I was...thinking about my essay," Hermione said weakly.  
Ron shrugged, then went back to staring at Andrea.  
Now, you're going to study and forget about being beautiful. It's not important, the logical part said. It had taken over again.  
She fixed her eyes on page 1,387 in her History of Magic book.  
In 1435, the goblins went on their 234th rebellion over unknown matters, not allowing any witch or wizard to enter Gringotts. This angered the magical community, and-  
"Hi, Harry," Hermione looked up to see Cho staring flirtatiously at Harry.  
Honestly, Hermione thought, Her boyfriend just died last year-she's already flirting again this quickly?  
"Er...hi, Cho," Harry said, his cheeks going pink.  
"This is my friend, Andrea," Cho said, flipping her dark hair behind her shoulder, "Andrea, this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."  
"Hi," Andrea said in a soft, musical voice.  
The tips of Ron's ears had gone red.  
"Well...see you," Cho said, leading Andrea away. The two girls burst into giggles as soon as they left the table.  
Harry and Ron exchanged a triumphant look, and Hermione quickly looked back down at her book.  
This angered the magical community, and they-  
"Reckon I should ask her to the Halloween Ball?" Ron asked Harry, not bothering to keep his voice down.  
Fifth-years and up were allowed to attend the Halloween Ball, which took place after the feast.  
"Wouldn't hurt," Harry replied, "She seemed to like you."  
"Are you going to ask Cho?"  
"I suppose," Harry said, looking unsure, "Do you think she likes me?"  
"Definitely," Ron said.  
"That's-"  
"Could you two please shut up?" Hermione asked, cross, "Some of us are trying to get work done around here!"  
"Sorry," Harry said, and his eyes returned to his History of Magic book.  
Ron glared at her, then went back to his essay as well.  
Don't they ever get sick of talking about girls? Hermione thought. No, they didn't really talk about girls. Just pretty girls. All the girls who didn't slightly resemble a Veela didn't deserve their time of day.   
That rules me out, Hermione thought bitterly.   
Normally, she didn't mind at all about her looks. But that morning she'd stared into the mirror while brushing her teeth, and hadn't been too pleased about what she'd seen-her hair was far too bushy, and her eyes were a dull shade of brown. Her teeth were smaller than they used to be, which was an improvement, but still...she'd never look like Parvati or Lavender.  
But who wants to go through all the trouble? Hermione asked herself.  
Lavender and Parvati spent at least half an hour every morning applying make-up and experimenting with their hair.   
But maybe it's worth it, a small voice in the back of her head said, Boys pay attention to them.  
I don't CARE what boys think about me! The logical voice retorted. I care about schoolwork-that's what's important.  
No, the small voice started to reply.  
Fortunately, the thought was cut short when Harry checked his watch and announced, "I have to go-Quiddich practice."  
"See you," Ron said as Harry gathered up his books.  
"Bye, Harry," Hermione said, only looking up briefly.  
"Bye guys," Harry said, walking out of the library.  
Ron and Hermione looked at each other, but neither said anything.  
He's still probably mad about how I told him to shut up, Hermione thought.  
Ron always got angry about little things like that.  
Hermione stared back down at her book, and read a whole half of the page before realizing that she was done with that page and on to the next one.  
Thoughts were flying through her brain, and she couldn't do anything to stop them.  
I wonder if any boy would ever think I was pretty.  
I wonder if I'll ever have a boyfriend.  
I wonder if I'll get married...maybe I'll just live my life alone, be brilliant but lonely...  
"Ron, do you think I'm beautiful?"  
The words popped out of her mouth before she could stop them, and as soon as they were spoken, Hermione felt like hitting herself over the head with a baseball bat. How could she have said that out loud? She could feel her face turn red.  
Ron stared at her, shocked, and she wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole-this was Ron! He didn't even consider her a girl-she was just one of the guys to him.  
After about five seconds, she got back her voice and said, "You know, forget it. I have no idea what I was thinking of. I'm sorr-"  
"Yes."  
It was barely audible, but Hermione heard it.  
"Oh..." Hermione felt her cheeks go even redder, "I'm sorry to bug you, I don't know why I said that. I-"  
"I think you're very beautiful," Ron continued, as if he hadn't even heard her. His face still wore a shocked expression, but it was gradually disappearing and he began to look more relaxed, despite the fact that the tips of his ears were still red.  
Thank you.  
The two words popped into her mind.  
Just say thank you and get back to work.  
"Not as beautiful as Parvati or Lavender or Andrea, though," Hermione couldn't help but say. She tried to keep her tone light, but her seriousness leaked through.  
"Hermione, you're-" Ron took a deep breath, then continued to talk, "You're more beautiful than any of them."  
"That's crazy," Hermione scoffed.  
"You ARE!" Ron said, "Sure, Parvati and Andrea and all of them are classically beautiful-"  
Hermione felt her face fall.  
"-but you can tell they work at it. That they make this model of the perfect girl, and they force themselves to live up to it," Ron paused again, looking as though he didn't believe what he was saying, "Hermione, you don't bother with makeup or clothes or pretending to be someone you're not. You're just you, and..." his voice trailed off, "You have no idea of how pretty you are?"  
Hermione shook her head weakly-that was all she was capable of. Was this RON, being so nice to her? The same Ron who she bickered with at least once a day?  
"You are so beautiful," Ron said. His voice was low and solemn, and Hermione had a strange feeling-it was like all he could see was her.  
He was leaning nearer to her until they were just inches apart. She closed her eyes, still not sure of what was happening. RON was going to kiss her?  
He can't, Hermione thought desperately, He's my best friend! This will ruin everything-this is foolish, Hermione! Just open your eyes and back away! Sure, he's being incredibly sweet and sensitive and cute...but that's no reason to-  
She didn't finish her thought, because Ron's lips brushed against her own, and everything vanished from her mind. Goblin rebellions and perfect marks were far away-she couldn't even remember what house she was in! It felt perfect, so perfect...she could stay like this forever...  
And all of a sudden, it was over.  
Just like that.  
All of her knowledge came back to her in a burst, and she reluctantly opened her eyes to see Ron sitting in front of her, looking both amazed and triumphant.  
Oh my goodness, she thought, I just kissed Ron...him...my best friend...this is too embarrassing...I have to get out of here.  
"Um...I have to...go...see Professor McGonagall," she invented.  
"Yeah," Ron said in the same tone, "I should go back up to the common room-Fred and George are waiting for me."  
"All right, then," Hermione said, quickly gathering up her books and quill in her arms without really feeling what she was doing. All of a sudden, Ron's elbow brushed her own as he struggled to grab his things as quickly as possible, and that feeling came back. A warm, happy tingling.  
"Er...bye," Ron said, his ears bright red. He practically ran out of the library.  
Hermione sunk back down into the chair she'd been sitting in, her heart still racing.  
And she smiled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Ron, Hermione, Harry, Cho, and pretty much everything in this are JK Rowling's. I'm just using them to create this horribly mushy plot...  
  
  
  
A/N: Thanks for reading (or more appropriately, thanks for making it through this very mushy story and not throwing up...) Please review....no flames :)  



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